


The Glitch (Maze Runner)

by exi_d



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-11 08:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13520232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exi_d/pseuds/exi_d
Summary: GOING UNDER EDITING





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I also published this on wattpad if you want to read on there! It's the same thing and my user is mcrklee :) Since death cure released, I wanted to write this for a long time !

She awoke to the sound of metal lurching.

The elevator was like a mine shaft but it was hollow as sound bounced off the walls. It ascended fast, making her nauseous. The air was tinged with rusted metal. She didn't know where she was and why she was there. She only knew one thing.

Her name.

Lua.

Lua slowly became dizzy as the elevator rose. She eventually passed out, unconscious on the cold metal floor.

Where was she?

Lua awoke again. She could feel the rush of air entering the elevator and voices. Voices that she didn't recognize.

"Another girl...?"

"I thought the other girl was the last one!"

"Why?"

"Is she dead too?"

"There's no supplies."

Voices of boys. Anxiety filled her inside—she didn't know any of them and who they were. Lua's eyes remained closed but she heard someone jump down, rattling the floor beneath her.

Lua could barely keep herself awake due to her exhaustion—but she was conscious enough. She couldn't recollect her memories of her friends or family. It terrified her. How could she not remember? Why?

She felt someone shaking her arm, to wake her. Lua didn't bother to answer. She pretended to be asleep and didn't bother to respond.

"I think she's in some type of coma too. Get the Med-jacks! I'll get her to them."

The boy spoke.

Lua wondered who he was. She felt arms beneath her legs and back, lifting her up. Somehow she fell asleep.

A dream vivid in her mind.

"Who are you?" A young boy's voice.

_I'm Lua. Why are you here?_

"Well...I don't really know you. But promise me to keep it a secret, alright? I don't want to get caught."

_Okay. I'll keep it a secret. I'm on your side anyway._

The young boy puts his palm up and young Lua doesn't hesitate to put her hands with his.

"I have to do something now but I'll show you everything. Let's meet up later."

_Yes. Let's meet every other day! What is your name?_

He doesn't answer.

Lua awakes, bringing herself back to reality. Shadows shine through the cracks of the room since the sun rising.

_How long was I out?_ Lua thought as she tries to sit up. She jumps in surprise when she sees two boys next to her.  _Were they checking on me?_

"Well, it looks like she's awake, Newt." The boy commented as he shuffles through his stuff.

"Shit. You scared me." Lua cursed.

"Okay. Anyway, are you okay? You came here and you seemed to passed out." The boy asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Lua said as she looks around the room to find a tall boy standing next to them.  _Where am I? Who are these people?_

"Well, Jeff, you've done your job. Anyway, ya' remember anything? It's strange that we got two Greenies in a few days and they are both girls." The tall boy asked.

_Greenie?_ Lua couldn't recognize the nickname or slang—but she had much more questions on her mind.

"I don't. I'm just lost." Lua answered shortly.

"By the way, you were mumbling in your sleep. Had a bad dream?" The tall boy asks. Lua's face flushes—and they witnessed that?

"Yeah. What did I say?" She questions.

"I don't know. Indecipherable mostly but I heard you say 'glitch'. What's that supposed to mean?" The boy shifts his weight on the right leg as he speaks to her.

"I don't know much myself either. All I know is my name. Lua."

"Lua it is."

—

Lua was given a tour of the Glade—last thing she expected after waking up. It was given to her by this kid named Chuck, although he himself told her he didn't know all too well. Chuck supposedly knew her name already, it spread around like a wildfire.

"First thing is that the Glade is divided to four sections—the Homestead, the Gardens, the Bloodhouse and the Deadheads." Chuck said as he pointed to all the areas, a large building, area where they grew plants, a slaughter and barn house and lastly a ominous graveyard near the dense forest.

"How are you adjusting as the new girl? Alby probably would give you a better tour, but then again...he's scary." Chuck was attempting to make small talk, seeming like a friendly boy.

"Not with the stares I'm getting. Who's Alby? What's a Greenie?" Lua asked.  _Is Alby the leader? Hell, don't know half of these boys names._

"Well...Lua...Alby is a guy who takes control of the Glade. He's out doing something. I guess you can call him a leader as in position...but not to his face. Anyway, a Greenie is a new person that arrives in the Box. This Glade is full of boys but don't worry there's another—I meant, let's go get you some sleeping arrangements." Chuck said as he looked away, obviously saying something that he wasn't supposed to.

"Chuck...? Another what? What are you saying?" Lua asked.

"Okay, okay. I hate keeping secrets. There's another girl here. She's in a coma though. Also, your going to have to work in jobs for two weeks and switching it up everyday. There's a Slopper, Bagger, Bricknick, Builder, Cooks, Slicers, Track-hoe, Med-jacks, Mapmakers And Runners. You usually end up with one your the best at." Chuck continued and Lua pondered on those specific, foreign words.  _Bagger? Med-jack? Cooks?_

"Oh. I see..."  _Another girl?_ All she could see as she looked around the Glade, seeing the large stone walls as if it was her first time. They stretched up high and thick ivy covered them but they all had a opening in the middle. "What are those walls, Chuck?"

"Oh. Those are walls...um, they close every night. Keeps the Grievers away." Chuck replied. "Come on, follow me."

Lua follows him, still observing the giant walls. She didn't know how could something as big as those walls could move to close every night. She remembers Chuck's mentions of Grievers—what are Grievers? Why did they have to keep them away?

Chuck and Lua run into Newt, the tall boy from earlier, although his mind seems to be elsewhere—he still smiles, acknowledging both of them.

"How is it going for ya', Chuck? Make sure to make her bed arrangements in the Homestead. Not sure if Lua sleeping with the boys is a good idea. Bring her to the first job and be sure to introduce the Keepers and all that." Newt says in a distinctly commanding tone.

"I got it, sir!" Chuck jokes but Newt raises his eyebrows, as if he disliked the word.

"Don't call me that. I'll see you shanks later." Newt said as he left to the wall opening, limping from one door to another.  _What is he looking for? What is a shank?_

Lua continues to follow Chuck to the "Homestead" and its a large building. She wondered why Newt looked so distant and worried—he even was looking around the doors as if he was looking for something.

"Hey, Chuck, what's a shank? Is it meant to be offensive?" Lua asked curiously. Chuck sighed.

"No, it's not offensive. Just some word to call each other. Like it's a friendly thing. I think. I don't know the whole slang thing to be honest." Chuck explained, still no clear meaning to it.

Lua nodded.  _Nice to know. It's Greenie but now its shank._ Lua watches as Chuck sets up her sleeping area, setting out a sleeping bag. He also sets a small lit up light.

"Here you go," Chuck spoke as he seemed proud of himself. "This is where you would be sleeping for now. I don't think you want to sleep in the dark so, I snuck in a lantern. Just be sure to blow it out when you need to."

Lua smiles. She didn't know why the boy seemed to be someone who wasn't liked too much among the others—the boy was nice.

"Thanks a lot Chuck, I appreciate it." Lua thanks him and Chuck seems happy to be appreciated as he beamed.

Chuck brought her over to the barn of animals and the slaughter house. He introduced her Winston, supposed Keeper of the Slicers. Lua noticed the dog, Bark, a black lab. Lua had a urge to pet the dog.  _It's very cute._

Another boy came up to her. He had light brown hair and was taller than her. Lua didn't know why the boy struck to her as someone she seen before—he felt familiar. She tried to search in her memories, maybe a recollection of who he is.

_Why can't I remember? I'm probably just imagining it. I hope so._

"Lua, right? I'm Henry. Your job today is to feed the animals and clean them." He said as he points to the various animals ranging from chickens to cows. Henry brings out buckets of animal food, seeming a couple pounds heavy.

Lua seemed to enjoy animals but the work was much more exhausting than she thought. Henry was a friendly boy and liked to crack jokes.

She gave seeds to the chickens and their beaks pecked onto the seeds, consuming them. Lua put the seeds onto her palm, reaching for the chickens. The chickens took interest but it just ended her with a cut on her palm.

"Ow! I didn't know chickens are aggressive..." Lua mumbles while Henry stifles a laugh, making her embarrassed.

"Why are you talking to the chickens? Do your job. You have so much to do." Henry said sarcastically as he bought out multiple brooms.

Lua shook her head. Somehow her legs felt weak under her legs—they didn't feel right. So did her head. She had a headache but Lua ignored it.  _I have to work hard before I rest!_

She ended up doing for the entire day. Lua wiped the sweat of her forehead with the back of her head as it soaked through her clothes. Henry looked distracted as he looked out to the Glade wall and Lua spots Newt still running around.

Henry shook his head. "No way...Alby, Minho..." He mutters.  _What about Alby and Minho?_

Lua then remembers Chuck's comment—how the wall closes every night to leave the "Grievers" out. Was Alby and Minho about to be locked out? She could only assume those were the Runners that Chuck told her about. Runners that run inside the walls.

Then erupted a loud noise that filled the whole Glade—the doors were closing. The large stone doors were about to close and wherever Minho and Alby was, they were about to be shut out for a whole night.

Then came the screams of something awfully mechanic and piercing. A Griever. Lua didn't want to imagine those Griever monster things.

But when the doors came to a closing, suddenly a boy in the distance runs in, slipping inside just before it closes.

—

Newt was second in command for the Glade when Alby wasn't around.

Alby, their supposed leader, was gone out there. Along with a boy named Thomas and Minho. The Maze that Lua found out about.  _I can't believe a maze is right outside,_ Lua thought as she gets ready for her sleep.

The Glade, the Maze and the Runners were all confusing to her. It was too much that Lua could only eat a few bites of her meal and go to sleep early. She wanted for this to be all over. A dream.

It felt lonely sleeping by herself—the whole Homestead felt void of people.

Lua blew out her lantern light. She really didn't feel well—something was wrong with her head.  _Last thing I want is to be sick._

Lua fell asleep again to dream. Recurring, real dreams always came to her.

"Hey, Lua."

It was the same boy again.

_Yeah?_

"Who's that?" He asked as he pointed below, revealing a peaceful sleeping boy.

_He's my brother. I can't visit him but I come to check on him. At least he's okay._

"Oh."

_Please watch over him too. He's in your group after all._

"What's his name?"

_It's...I can't remember._

_Get out of my head!_

"Huh?"

_I didn't mean to say that! Something hurts..._

"Something very bad happened to you, Lua."

Lua awoke, gasping.  _What the hell?_ She could only grasp pieces of her repeating dreams but it was enough.  _I had a brother...? Who is the boy in my dream? I can't remember. I can't remember anything._

"Your awake just in time." Newt.

Lua looked at him in surprise and confusion. It still seemed to be dawn, but the sun was going to rise soon.

"Come, I have to show you something."

Lua stood up and went to follow Newt. She felt more weaker than before.  _I knew it. I must be sick._ Her face felt flushed due to the blood in her face.

She didn't know why Newt was taking her somewhere when it was barely morning and dark, but she knew something was off. Newt's face was solemn to last night's events.

He took her to the East Wall, which covered with the thick ivy vines she'd seen earlier. Newt lifted up the vines above to reveal a blacked out window. He waited a few moments till it shone beautifully and it showed the abyss of the Maze inside.

"What are we looking at, Newt?" Lua asked but Newt shushed her.

"Just wait for it. The Griever. He replied.  _Griever?_ It came out—the monstrous thing. It slowly approached the large window on its mechanical limbs and slimy, moist bulbous body.

It screamed, just like the one she heard last night. The mouth wasn't even a mouth, it was just a opening while saliva expanded from its mouth. Then it just launched itself on the window, making Lua jump back.

Newt seemed to have no reaction to this whatsoever as he placed the ivy back down.

"That's what out there. Grievers. You see it now?" Newt asked and Lua nodded.  _I don't want to see that ever again._

"You know, Lua. You're one of the only girls here. You know anythin' about this whole situation? None of this happened in the three years I've been here. Everything is changing." Newt spoke and Lua couldn't focus on his words.

"Look, I—!" Lua tried to say as suddenly pain erupted through her head, feeling as if it cracked her skull open. She fainted and fell to the ground, grabbing her head with her two hands.

Images and words flashed across her mind over and over again as she struggled to get up. She screamed. Over and over again.

_WICKED is good._

_You don't belong here._

_I didn't mean to._

_Sis! Please don't leave me!_

_Lua, please promise me that you won't forget me._

_WICKED is good..._

_Lua, I will meet with you again. I promise I will—_

_You really don't belong here._

_Why are you just standing there? Won't you help us?_

The voices all came from different people and yet they all erupted in her head, causing Lua immense amounts of pain and tears rolled down.  _Who are these people? Why can't I remember?_

_Get out. Get out._

_Get out._

_Get out!_

_Get out! Get out! Get out!_

_Get out of my head! You're the one who doesn't belong here!_

Newt falls to her side, his expression concerned.

"Hey, Lua, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked but Lua doesn't answer and continues to clasp her hands around her head.

_WICKED is good, Lua._

_Sis! You have to get your memories back and remember me. It will make sense. You have to remember your friends—and him._

_Lua! Listen to me! Remember everything._

_I'll see you in the end._

Lua's vision is smothered with black as she passes out.


	2. Teresa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't tell anyone but i'm writing this in class lol

Lua awoke to the sound of talking.

"Seriously, this all happened when we got in there?"

"Why is there another girl?"

"I have no idea. She fainted yesterday and Newt said it was pretty weird—like she was screaming her head off." Jeff was talking.

"Is the coma girl okay?"

"Yeah. The blonde one is named Lua...just so you know."

"Lua sounds like a perfect name for a shank."

"It's so strange. No idea why there's girls suddenly. Something is telling me that it feels off."

Lua was irritated at conversation and they were speaking about her. She sat up hastily.

"Oh, shuck, she's awake!" A boy with Asian features said as he looks at her with surprise and a smirk on his face. There was Jeff but two boys she didn't recognize.

"Oh, hi Lua. Are you feeling okay?" Jeff asked. She felt this dull throbbing in her head—the pain of her head still fresh before she fainted.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Lua answered shortly. She ponders on her pain from her head and those voices. Those voices that held memories. Brother. Sister. WICKED. A friend. Someone precious to her. What did it all mean?  _Why was it all coming back?_

"Well, since these shuck-faces decided to show up, Lua, this is Minho, Keeper of the Runners," Jeff said as he pointed to the Asian muscular boy. "And Thomas, who actually came here a few days ago."

_Minho and Thomas. The boys that Newt was talking about._

"Nice to meet you, Greenie," Minho said with sarcasm in his voice. "I can't believe we have three new shanks..."

"Um, your welcome." Lua replied back. She couldn't recall any events that happened before Lua fainted. All she remembered that the Runners were out there in the night—somehow they made it back.

A agonizing scream bursts out throughout the Glade.

Lua wondered why someone was screaming so loudly—but whoever it came from, it sounded like they were in pain. She turned to the three boys with her brows furrowed in thought.

"Tell me everything right now."

—

The Changing. Grievers. Alby. The Serum.

_My brain hurts._

Lua sat near Clint, the Med-jack who gave her a cup of water which she consumed in a few gulps. She muttered thanks before finding the door opening inside the Homestead.

It was Newt.

"Clint, we have a Gathering. You should go." Newt said as he quickly glanced at Lua then Clint. He left as soon as he came. A Gathering?  _What was a Gathering needed for?_

Clint left the Homestead without a word and the "Gathering" that they were talking about had piqued Lua's interest. She decided to follow Clint's footsteps quietly and the Gathering room was still inside another room in the Homestead.

She didn't dare to get caught so Lua stood outside, listening to the conversing. She could hear all the boys debating and talking. Mostly Newt, who seemed to be taking order for the Gathering.

Lua recongized the Keeper's voices, mostly Minho, Winston and Frypan. Another Keeper seemed to be arguing a lot—they were talking about Thomas.

"So you do have a opinion—that's it?" Newt asked.

A few mumbles of words came from Winston about how Thomas broke the "Number One rule".

"Okay, so your recommending punishment? What kind?" Newt asked again.

 _Punishment?_ Lua knew they had a set ground of rules at the Glade, for order, but some of them were assigning a punishment to Thomas—who supposedly saved a boy named Alby out in the Maze.  _Isn't that...unfair?_

Arguments and other boy's voices broke out, debating on the topic of Thomas breaking their rule. Lua sighed—she had no idea.

"I think it was all an act. How could he did what he did out there in few days?—I ain't buying it." A boy ranted, seemingly angry.

"What are you trying to say Gally? How about having a bloody point?" Newt remarked. Gally.

The boy, Gally who Lua assumes to be mad at Thomas seemed to have so much hatred in his voice.  _Damn, I don't know what's going on at all._

"It's weird because two girls shows up right after Thomas. That didn't happen in two years we've been here." Gally commented and Lua stiffens.

"Well, ones in a bloody coma and the other is alive and well. I can't say that Thomas is the one at fault—no one needed to send a girl here but they did." Newt said.

"You don't think that's suspicious? She comes here and acts like she doesn't know anything. What if she does?" Gally asked with doubt.

"She doesn't know much as us. I think its best to leave her alone. Send her to work. We'll figure it out."

Gally said something else, disagreeing.  _They're talking about me now..._

Newt and Gally continued to argue back and forth, Newt obviously not liking the guy but then Newt asks for Minho's opinion.

"I nominate this shank to replace me as Keeper of the Runners."

Minho's words made the whole room erupt with boy's opinions on the decisions—both good and bad ones. Newt was trying to yell over the noise, trying to get the boys to shut up.

Minho and Gally continued to exchange words—getting more heated by the second. Then came a crash to the floor. Gally told Minho something and stood up. Lua could hear his footsteps coming closer and she panicked, hiding out of sight.

She heard as Gally left the Homestead.

—

Lua was urged to continue working.

_Why do I have to keep working...? Too much is going on._

Today Lua was on cooking duty, which Frypan was the Keeper of. Frypan was extremely contempt with rules in his kitchen.

Frypan brought a basket of harvested potatoes to his kitchen, giving it to Lua.

"You know how to peel potatoes?" Frypan handed her a knife. Lua nodded.

"Yes, surprisingly." Lua commented and Frypan smiled with a force.

"You have 55 potatoes to peel. Get working." He ordered.  _55? What a intimating guy for a cook._

Lua started to peel the potatoes, watching as the brown skin flop down to the table, slowly peeling each one.  _This is totally entertaining..._ She continued to work until the sharp knife pricked her thumb, making it bleed.

 _Ow. Why do I always get pricked?_ Lua wiped the blood away, stopping the flow. As she slowly peeled each potato, she watched as a few boys came in and out to Frypan's kitchen, usually asking for a meal, earning a lecture from him and then receiving the meal.

Lua sighed.

All of the potatoes were finally peeled and ready for Frypan.

"Frypan! I'm finally done. What do I do now?" Lua asked happily—the peeling was a ridiculous job.

"Your not done. Mash it. It's mash potatoes today." Frypan said as he tossed her some type of utensil and Lua caught it. It was shaped like a baseball bat but it was meant for mashing.

"Got it." Lua said reluctantly. She started to mash the massive amount of potatoes, slowly dissolving to a creamy mush of potatoes. The 55 potatoes were still tough.

_I have to do this for a entire day..._

Lua's thoughts turned to Alby and her painful flashback of memories. She didn't know why some faint memories came back to her. It was hard to put them together and decipher it—but it was better than nothing.

Lua remembered a girl's voice—maybe she was around thirteen or fourteen. Of course she didn't recognize her appearance or voice but it struck as something familiar.

_"Lua! Listen to me! Remember everything. I'll see you in the end."_

She knew the girl was talking about her memory swipe—just like the other Gladers who all lost their memory. She was asking to not to forget her. Possibly a friend?

Lua wondered most about her last words.  _"I'll see you in the end."_

Then there was voices saying, 'WICKED is good'. All over and over again.  _WICKED? Who is WICKED? The Creators?_

Lua shook her head. It was so much to think about—but she wanted to know. If it could lead to some clues, it was better than nothing.

"Good that. Let's get the meals ready for the whole Glade." Frypan said as he interrupted Lua's thoughts.

She helped prepare for the dinners. Lua knew about Thomas, the name that appeared in every Glader's mouth, despite their views and Gally too. Gally supposedly went into the Maze and went missing—although his words earlier were harsh but she couldn't help but feel bad for him.

_I don't want anyone to show up with a dead body._

Thomas got a day worth in the "Slammer" for his punishment. It wasn't as bad—but then again, Lua still felt like an outsider to all of this. Things were changing.

Lua sat next to some of the boys, eating her meal. She talked to Henry and Clint, boys she already met earlier.

"Do you remember anything? I heard from the Med-jacks you had some super migraine or something like that." Henry asked curiously.

"I mean...yeah. I guess. It's strange—painful eruptions of memories inside your head. It feels like my skull is cracking open. I remember things but it's not clear." Lua answered.

Henry seemed to be interested a lot in her memories.

"Really? What did you remember?" Henry asked again and Clint nodded, wanting to hear.

"I remember a girl. Maybe she was my friend. She kept saying how I need to remember. That I'll see her in the end. It's creepy. Then I hear 'WICKED is good'. Then I remember about me having a brother. I don't know how or where he is—but a brother?" Lua rambled on. Henry nodded.

"That is weird...we hardly remember anything out of our lives." Henry commented.

Lua was left for a mystery.

She slept in her own room in the Homestead that night again, needing the peaceful rest. Lua closed her eyes. It didn't feel enough the way things were going—it felt empty.

Lua somehow slept well, having a deep sleep. She didn't wake up as early she usually did since she still had work to do.

She awoke, suddenly remembering her work for the day.  _Shit—I have to do Builder work today!_ Lua's hair looked like nest, sticking out with stray hairs due to the toss and turns during her sleep.

Lua ran out the Homestead.  _Something isn't right. Someone would've woke me up. They usually do..._

She ran out to see the sky dark, a flat sky of gray.

_What the...?_

The sky wasn't even a sky, it looked like a flat ceiling, devoid of color, almost like a roof. Lua could see the other Gladers gawking at the sight, just as confused.

There was no sun and heat provided for them anymore, although she could still see. The sun and sky were fake. Just mere illusionsb by the Creators.

Lua ran over to Henry, who was also standing out to look at the sky with Winston at his side.

"Hey, Henry what's going on..." Lua said as she caught her breath.

"I have no idea. But this isn't good...the plants are going to die soon without the sun. The Runners still are going into the Maze. We have to continue. The animals are going to die this way too." Henry answered as he looked at the barn.

Henry looked the most concerned, since he took care of the animals the most. Lua couldn't believe such a thing happened so fast. They still had to continue their work despite the sun's disappearance.

Lua walked around the Glade to meet the Builders, but their Keeper, Gally was Gone from earlier. So another boy had helped her assign work. She had to patch up the houses in the Glade with some spare wood with a hammer.

As she pounded the wood to the walls, Lua could hear commotion from the Homestead. A boy cried of pain, which made her stop and run to the Homestead. What was going on?

As Lua arrived to the Homestead, she could see Jeff inside, holding himself in pain. Before Lua could ask what was wrong, Newt and Alby arrived.

"What the bloody hell is going on, Jeff?" Newt asked as Jeff seemed to be flushed.

"The girl is awake, I guess she got scared or somethin'. She's gone somewhere and escaped by shucking kicking me. In the groin." Jeff explained. "I think we should look for her."

Newt and Lua both try to stifle their laughs but Alby seemed to be serious, thinking about something clearly on his mind.

"You're right. Let's go. There's something worse going on—the doors aren't closing." Alby said as Jeff exchanged worried looks. This was clearly a worry—the doors protected them of the Grievers. The nightmare-fuel Grievers.

_The doors aren't closing? This really is turning worse...I wonder where the girl went._

Lua had a increasing curiosity for the girl. She didn't know her name but once Lua took a look at her sleeping face, she had the same familiar feeling when she met Henry. No memories appeared of the girl—but Lua was even more interested in what her life before the Maze was.


End file.
